With the Dallas Cowboys set to take on the New York Giants in the NFL's Week 10 Monday Night Football matchup, America's Team will be without linebacker Leighton Vander Esch.
Per the Dallas Morning News' Michael Gehlken on Twitter, the 23-year-old Vander Esch is inactive on Monday night against the Giants as he continues to nurse a neck “tightness.”
Joining him on the inactive list for Dallas, is offensive tackle Cameron Fleming, defensive tackle Trysten Hill, offensive lineman Adam Redmond, defensive end Joe Jackson, and wide receivers Devin Smith and Cedrick Wilson.
The seemingly shorthanded Cowboys, coming off a home win in Week 8 prior to their bye week against the Philadelphia Eagles, have to face another NFC East division rival in the G-Men without their one-time Pro-Bowl linebacker in the 6-foot-4 Vander Esch. The former first-round selection of the Cowboys from the 2018 NFL Draft has played in every game this season; however, Vander Esch was limited in Dallas' past game against Philly, appearing in 22 total defensive snaps and making two solo tackles in the winning effort.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys could not have picked a better time to play the Giants without their rising star linebacker, as the tumultuous New York franchise is on a four-game losing streak and feeling growing pains from rookie quarterback Daniel Jones. Some fans were even clamoring about making another switch at the signal-caller position and bringing back the 38-year-old veteran Eli Manning.
Nevertheless, anything can happen in the NFL and on Monday night. For now, the ‘Boys will have to get the job done without Vander Esch.